#35 - Jacob Brinker, Butler Innkeeper, Sheriff, Councilman, Colonel

Occupations:  Innkeeper, Sheriff, Borough Councilman, Colonel

Jacob Brinker, Abraham Brinker’s son, lived at an exciting time in Butler. He came of age during the war of 1812 and died before the Civil War. It was exciting because that region of Pennsylvania he had a lent a hand in establishing the settlement so that would not only provide food and shelter to the families but also furthered their protection and nurturing. In this period and location, it seemed every able and willing person was involved in doing something of this sort. The American character was forming, Noah Webster was writing his dictionary of American English and Francis Scott Key had just penned the poem that eventually became the national anthem.

Butler County felt threatened when, in the 1820s, Joseph Smith of Illinois a boarder of the Hale family in Harmony, Butler County. He was the founder of a new religion decided to take the daughter of the family, Emma, as his (first) wife.  Shortly thereafter, Joseph Smith claimed to have found the Book of Mormon in upstate New York. A history book from the 1800s claims that Butler County residents were worried about Joseph Smith's religion, thought his ideas of polygamy in their county were too much to bear, and they said they had a “Mormon Problem.”

What did Jacob Brinker Look Like?
I have no photos of Jacob Brinker, but (unusually) I do have a description of Jacob:

“He inherited the patriotic spirit of his father, and took a deep interest in military affairs, but was unlike him in personal appearance, being a large, stout man.” Hmmm.. he must have been large if the history book remarks on his appearance.

Birth and Early Venture
Jacob was born in January of 1796. His parents were  Abraham Brinker and Louisa (Moser) Brinker (both in another post).  His mother’s family, the Mosers, are mentioned as an early pioneering family of NW Pennsylvania, as are the families of Jacob’s wives (the Riddles and the Grahams).

Jacob’s father Abraham had opened the first “public house” or tavern in Butler. But it must not have suited him for he sold it within a few years and bought land outside of Butler to farm.
Jacob, however, was quite different from his father. Early in his youth he was an innkeeper, in the so-called Brinker’s Hotel, and was the  owner/innkeep for many years.

First Marriage
He married Matilda Riddle on March 28, 1822 when she was 20 years old, and he was 26 in Muddy Creek Twp, Butler County. 

Sheriff
As far as I can tell, beginning about 1826 and for many years thereafter, Jacob ran for and was elected the Sheriff (as well as working as an innkeeper).

Jacob Brinker Runs for Sheriffalty Jan 1827

Jacob Runs for Sheriffalty

Death of Matilda
In March 1827,  his wife Matilda died after a “long and protracted illness.” She was only 25 years old. 
The text of the newspaper says the turnout for the funeral was “possibly the largest yet.”  I don’t believe there were any children from this marriage.


Obit of Matilda Riddle Brinker 1827 Butler Sentinel

Remarriage
Within a few months after Matilda's death, in October of 1827, Jacob remarried. His second wife was younger than he. Sarah Anna Graham was 18 or 19 years old (based on her obituary record).  Jacob would have been 31 when he married Sarah Ann(a) in Butler.

Announcement of Marriage to Sarah A Graham. Butler Sentinel

Family

Jacob and Sarah Ann had 7 children. In order they were: William, Sarah J, Alfred, Addison, Margaret, HP (Henry P), and Isabell (Bella). Here they are in the 1850 census:

Borough Councilman - 1826, '27,'29, '39 and 1840
1826 1827 1829 1839 1840  Borough Councilman  Butler, PA
~BURGESSES AND COUNCILMEN~
"...he records of the borough council from 1817 show[s] the trials and struggles of the local lawmakers. The list …is as follows:" [removed the names of those serving with him]
1826—Council, Jacob Brinker
1827—Council, Jacob Brinker
1829—Council, Jacob Brinker
1839—Council, Jacob Brinker
1840—Council, Jacob Brinker

Colonel Jacob Brinker
The Butler County history records show that Jacob was also a Colonel in the local militia. The militias at the time were still local.
The account given in the  History1895 of the early militia sounds like it was a rollicking good time.  A bit like a Rod and Gun Club or perhaps more like a local Volunteer Fire Department, as they were necessary. When not in the business of drilling, they enjoyed socializing together.

"The appointments of officers for the Twenty-Fourth regiment, First brigade, Sixteenth division, Pennsylvania Militia, were made March 20, 1829, by Jacob Brinker, colonel of the command.
The staff comprised James Thompson, adjutant; J. L. Maxwell, quartermaster; John N. Purviance, seargeant-major; George Linn, surgeon; A. Spear and James Graham, assistant surgeons. The ten captains commissioned were Alexander McBride, Jacob Doudhiser, Thomas Dodds, Johnson White, Samuel Dodds, George Frazier, of the First Battalion; and Alexander Craig, John Weir, Thomas Jolly, J. B. McConnell and George Wolf, of the Second Battalion. The first and second lieutenants for the same companies were commissioned at that time [& etc]... "

School Trustee & Butler Schools
Every civilization needs a school.
The Butler Academy was set up in 1811, and  Jacob as served as one of the Trustees for the school, the first time in 1833 (but not the only time).

Jacob Brinker, Trustee of Butler Academy

As an aside, the Butler Academy consolidated with the Presbyterian school, the Witherspoon Academy, right after the Civil War in 1866.
Not co-incidentally, when Jacob’s son-in-law, Peter S Bancroft returned to Butler and married Jacob’s daughter, Bancroft needed money in the Panic of the post-Civil War period.
He conceived the idea of reviving the Witherspoon /Butler Academy, but running it as non-sectarian school, and renamed it the Witherspoon Institute.

The Samuel Mohawk Murders
Jacob was still running the Brinkers Hotel in the 1840. The census records him living in Butler at age 44.
A  few years later, now about 47, he was involved in the Samuel Mohawk incident, as the keeper of Brinkers Hotel (later the Willard Hotel, then the Pennsylvania House). Here is the telling of the story of the Samuel Mohawk murders by a historian who gave a presentation on the event based on his book:

"An Indian called Samuel Mohawk murdered the Wigton family 171 years ago in the Slippery Rock, [PA] area…"Something went wrong on one of his trips," Brad Pflugh said of how Mohawk ended up in the area, eventually killing the wife and five children of James Wigton. Pflugh [is] ..a board member of the Butler County Historical Society, head of the history department at Knoch High School, Butler County Community College professor and [is] author of the book "Rage, Murder and Execution! The Story of Sam Mohawk and the Wigton Family Massacre." …
Mohawk, a Seneca Indian was born Dec. 25, 1807, on a reservation in Cattaraugus County, N.Y.
…Native Americans like Mohawk would ride the Allegheny River on rafts, transporting logs, and stop in Butler, where they would take a stagecoach that passed through the area.
In late June 1843, Mohawk was spotted in Butler at least once, and he was known to have "problems with women," Pflugh said, adding he would make nasty comments and had been fighting with his wife when he left home.
He also had a severe alcohol problem that led to violent outbursts. Court documents detailing Mohawk's arrest show his path south at that time, starting in New York and ending up in Butler on June 29, [1843] when he was suffering serious alcohol withdrawal. Earlier that day, 11-year-old Catherine Herrit-Protzman said she had been jumped by Mohawk while walking alone and he tried to pull his knife on her; she was able to escape unharmed.

Jacob Brinker, owner of the Willard House hotel and tavern, had heard about Mohawk and took him in to calm him down, with the help of his daughter, and it's reported they bled him out. "He was just going crazy," Pflugh said.
On the morning of June 30, Jacob Brinker and William Beatty paid a stagecoach to take Mohawk away and it made stops in Prospect, Unionville, and at the Old Stone House, rented by John Sill, who ran it as a tavern and stagecoach stop at that time.
"The stagecoach took off and Sam Mohawk was not there," Pflugh said of how Mohawk stayed behind.
He had gone up the road to the home of Jesse and Margaret Kiester, an important family that had just turned part of their residence into a tavern known as the Kiester House; Mrs. Kiester was the only one home. "She is very lucky she was not killed that day," Pflugh said.
She offered Mohawk some milk, which he drank. He then fell asleep in the tavern and left after waking, returning that evening to the Old Stone House, where he fought with Sill because he refused to serve him alcohol.

Old Stone House, mentioned in this story

After the disturbance, Mohawk spent the night outside, sleeping not far from the Old Stone House, and on July 1, he headed in the direction of the nearby Wigton home, where Margaret, 29, was alone with her children: Elmira, 7; Jeninah Nancy, 6; Perry, 4; Amanda, 2; and John Wallace, about 8 months old.
James Wigton had left that morning...  Mrs. Wigton was cutting meat in an out-building and it's believed that Mohawk saw a light on, leading him to the property and some kind of argument. "She put up a fight," Pflugh said of Mrs. Wigton, who managed to cut Mohawk on the head with her knife.
He hit her with a rock, thinking he killed her, and went into the home, but she followed him and attacked him again.  Mohawk then proceeded to kill Mrs. Wigton, her four daughters, and the infant boy with blows to their heads with rocks. However, there were and still are some people who believe James Wigton murdered his family and framed the drunken Mohawk.
"And yet Mohawk admitted it," Pflugh said, adding that Mohawk also said he decided to kill the baby because if he lived, he would grow up to hate and kill Native Americans because one murdered his family.
As Wigton neared home that day, he was intercepted by Jesse Kiester, who by then discovered what became of the rest of the family; he urged Wigton to remain outside.  A crowd started to gather and the manhunt for Mohawk was on. Mills, mines and schools closed as news spread of what happened to the Wigton family. Mohawk fled to the nearby Kennedy family farm, where he hit one of the young boys in the head with a rock. …He was off and running again and ended up at the Philip Kiester farm, where he went into the home and began rooting around, not knowing that an angry mob was forming outside; some stories claim up to 100 people had gathered.  Kiester knew Mohawk was in his upstairs bedroom because he heard him playing his fiddle, but thankfully Mohawk didn't find the loaded pistols he kept in a drawer.
Mrs. Wigton's brother, Charles McQuiston, was in the crowd and several men took turns trying to lure Mohawk out of the home, throwing rocks at each other until they managed to knock Mohawk unconscious and drag him down the stairs and outside.
James Wigton showed up then and some folks wanted to bury Mohawk immediately, but he was soon escorted in a wagon to the Butler jail; the men on the walk were paid to do so.
[And, from The Old Home Week Book: Made Up of Sketches of History, Biography, Tradition and Reminiscences Pertaining to Prospect, Butler County, Pa, by Andrew White McCulloch and David Luther Roth, 1912, comes this addition:]
The Rev. Mr. Bassler, pastor of the Lutheran church in Prospect, who had opened a mission in Butler, visited the [Mohawk, the] Indian in jail and brought him to a sense of his sin.
The first evidence that he showed that his act was criminal was when he exclaimed, "Me break law. Me break law.
After satisfying himself and the Church Council that Mohawk was penitent and a believer in the merits of Jesus, Mr. Bassler baptized him. (End of section)
Continuing with the historian:
"The trial was held in December 1843 and Mohawk's attorney pleaded insanity, but he was indicted on six counts of murder. The governor agreed with the judge's ruling that he should be hanged - Butler County's first hanging.
On March 22, 1844, Mohawk confessed to the murders and converted to Christianity, and was then hung in the jailyard with about 20 witnesses including Wigton; about 100 people stood on the other side of the jailyard wall, unable to see what was going on. The Wigtons are buried at Muddy Creek Cemetery, Clay Township… "
[Cited here are portions of an article from Allied News.com of Grove City PA, dated Oct 19, 2014, the brief section added was from the book cited on Prospect PA)

Birth of His Last Child: Bella Brinker

In 1846 when he is 50 years old, youngest child, Isabell (Bella) Brinker, my great, great grandmother was born. Bella was the wife of Peter S Bancroft (of another post).

Bella Brinker, youngest child of Jacob & Sarah A Brinker

Jacob died when Bella was 7 years old, on July 4, 1853. He was 57 years old and still lived in Butler, Pennsylvania. His father, Abraham had died only 3 years before this, but his lived until 1865.

Jacob’s Wife, Sarah Ann Graham
His wife, Sarah Ann Graham was born about 1808 Pennsylvania, and died on 29 Jul 1889 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Here is a photograph of her late in life. She died in her daughter’s home in Butler.

Sarah Ann[a] Graham [Brinker]

Jacob’s widow had lived for more than 30 years after her husband, outliving her daughter Bella who died in 1874.
The Butler Public Library had this on record, which I recorded:
Butler Area Public Library
Obituary Index .
Obit Record .
Name: BRINKER, Sarah A 
Title: 
Extension: 
Nickname: 
Age: 79 Years 
DOB: 
Locality: Butler 
Relation Info: BRINKER, Jacob  w/o 
 Newspaper: Butler Citizen 
Date/Page: 26 Jul 1889 p3 
Film #: 
Comments:
------------------------------------------
How I am related to Jacob Brinker & Sarah A Graham:

Research in:
Butler Area Public Library: microfilm copies of Butler newspapers

And Sources:
History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895
Allied News.com of Grove City PA, dated Oct 19, 2014
The Old Home Week Book: Made Up of Sketches of History, Biography, Tradition and Reminiscences Pertaining to Prospect, Butler County, Pa,
by Andrew White McCulloch and David Luther Roth, 1912

Source of photographs:
Family photographs.

#34--Abraham Brinker (Louisa Moser) Pioneer of Butler County PA 1774-1850

Abraham Brinker of Butler Co, “Pioneer”

My grandfather (Charles Tilton) said once he'd gone to college "far from Butler" intentionally.  He made some reference to being too much a part of Butler. I looked closely at his ancestors who were born or had settled in Butler County, had to agree that his roots were very deep in Butler County.
The yellow boxes in the tree below indicate Butler people.

My grandfather's great-great grandfather, Abraham Brinker was born in 1774 in Easton, Northampton County (Bethlehem, Nazareth (partly in Lehigh County) PA and was the son Jacob Brinker and Susannah Hinkel (of another post) .
The Brinker family had moved to western PA to Franklin Twp, Westmoreland County (Denmark Manor,  SE of Pittsburgh).  In 1800 Abraham was 26 years old.

Researching this early "pioneer of Butler," I found probably too much (can it be?) on Abraham Butler. My earliest search rendered an old history of Butler from 1883 (but the 1895 history of Butler is more thorough).

The (better) 1895 History of Butler County contains this  biographical sketch of Abraham Brinker:

CAPT. ABRAHAM BRINKER was one of the pioneer tavern keepers of Butler, where he erected a log building on the site of the Citizen office in 1804. He was a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Westmoreland county, and later to Butler. He carried on the Mansion House until 1809, and then sold out to Jacob Mechling, who conducted this well remembered hostelry for many years.        

After disposing of his tavern, Captain BRINKER purchased a tract of land on Bonny Brook, in what is now Summit township, and erected the old stone mill yet standing, about three miles northeast of Butler, at the mouth of Brinker's run, named in his honor. Here he operated a grist mill, a carding mill and a distillery, in connection with a large farm.                                                                                                    He was one of the prominent men of pioneer days, and a man of considerable enterprise and public spirit. He commanded a company under Col. John PURVIANCE at Erie in the War of 1812, composed of the hardy sons of Butler county.                                      He served as county commissioner two terms, was also a justice of the peace, and filled several of the local offices during his residence on Bonny Brook. Captain BRINKER married Louisa MOSER.

1804
At the age of 30 in 1804, he'd moved to the newly formed town of Butler, and he built a log house south of the site of the court house, in which he kept tavern called The Mansion House for a number of years.

1804-1809 - Buying Lots in Butler &  The Mansion House (Public House) in Butler

The first sale (auction) of lots in what was to become the new town of Butler, Pennsylvania was held on Aug. 10-13, 1803. Abraham Brinker bought:.
Lot #13 for  $126.00.
Lot #14 for      90.00.
Lot #95 for      10.50.
 
The second auction was held Aug. 14-16, 1804.
Abraham Brinker bought:
Lot #3 for $43.00.

Abraham and others also paid $20.00 each for Lots #150 & 151 to be use for a cemetery.
(However Abraham and others are in the Brinker Cemetery on Bonnie Brook Rd. off Hwy 422
in Butler Co., PA.).
Abraham build the fourth cabin in the new town of Butler.



Brinker nabs 1st sale of land lots in Butler town 1803



Abraham Brinker builds 4th log cabin in Butler 1804

Brinker nabs 2nd sale of land lots in Butler in 1804

The Mansion House  - Public House

“The Mansion House, which was erected by Abraham BRINKER soon after the town was laid out.

It was a log building, stood on the side of the Citizen and Record offices, and was a noted landmark for many years. He was granted his first license in 1805.

Mr. BRINKER kept the Mansion House until 1809, then sold it to Jacob Mechling, and removed to a farm on Bonny Brook, where he erected a grist-mill and carding-mill. “

 As mentioned above, Abraham sold The Mansion House in 1809 to Jacob Mechling.  Abraham was  35 years old when he did this, he moved out of town a bit.

Brinker’s Mills & Bonny Brook

Lands:

Thomas Smith came in 1796 to the township, and in 1813 Abraham Brinker purchased Smith's 200 acres. Abraham Brinker moved to the Bonny Brook area of Summit Township in 1813.

Mills and Farm

Abraham was "an extremely industrial man and within a year built a built a carding mill, saw mill and distillery, and in 1814 erected a stone grist mill. He kept a large farm."

He was described as “one of the most prominent and enterprising men of his time.” 

Brinker's Mills = Bonny Brook

A few years after Brinker moved from Butler into Summit Township a post office was established and at some point Bonny Brook post office became known as Brinker's Mills. "The name of this small community went back and forth an untold number of times."

Erects a School

The children of the pioneers of Summit township attended, in 1813, at a log school-house near Brinker’s mill. Then eventually the school had a frame building which Brinker, the Gilliands and Martins erected, about 1818.

 
War of 1812

 (from The History of Butler County:)

"At the City of Erie, a peninsula, over six miles in length, arches out into the water of Lake Erie forming an expansive natural harbor.

French explorers recognized the intrinsic value of the harbor and in 1753 constructed Fort Presque Isle on the mainland near the harbor entrance. The name Presque Isle means “almost an island” in French and referred to the nearby peninsula.

Fort Presque Isle and its portage was became a vital link between the French fur trade network in the Great Lakes and its colony on the Gulf Coast.

Control of the Presque Isle region was wrested from the French in 1760 during the French and Indian War, and following the Revolution, the area was incorporated into the State of Pennsylvania in 1792.

During the War of 1812, the harbor at Presque Isle was used to construct six warships, including the Brig Niagara, which played a role in Admiral Perry’s convincing victory over the British in the historic Battle of Lake Erie.

The first lighthouse at Erie, and indeed the first American lighthouse on the Great Lakes, was constructed on a mainland bluff in 1818, not far from the site of Fort Presque Isle.

On July 19, 1818, the appearance of the British fleet off Presque Isle, evinced a determination on the part of the enemy to not only compass the destruction of the half-finished American fleet, but to invade the State itself.

Commodore Perry, appreciating the gravity of the situation and the necessity for prompt resistance, sent a courier to General Mead, of Meadville, asking for reinforcements.

The next day, General Mead sent the following circular into every settlement within the Sixteenth Militia district:

CITIZENS TO ARMS
    Your State is invaded. The enemy has arrived at Erie, threatening to destroy our navy and the town. His course, hitherto marked with rapine and fire wherever he touched our shore, must be arrested. The cries of infants and women, of the aged and infirm, the devoted victims of the enemy and his savage allies, call on you for defense and protection.
Your home, your property, your all, require you to march immediately to the course of action. Arms and ammunition will be furnished to those who have none, at the place of rendezvous near to Erie, and every exertion will be made for your subsistence and accommodations. Your service to be useful must be rendered immediately. The delay of an hour may be fatal to your country, in securing the enemy in his plunder and favoring his escape.

~~David Mead, Maj. Gen. 19th D. P. M.

The response was prompt. Butler County furnishing her full quota of men, and contributing to the notable naval victory that followed. In appreciation of the valuable services thus rendered.

Commodore Perry sent the following letter to General MEAD:

U. S. SLOOP OF WAR LAWRENCE

OFF ERIE August 7, 1813

    Sir:- I beg leave to express to you the great obligation I consider myself under for the ready, prompt, and efficient service rendered by the militia under your command, in assisting us in getting the squadron over the bar at the mouth of the harbor, and request you will accept, Sir, the assurances that I shall always recollect with pleasure the alacrity with which you repaired, with your division, to the defense of public property at this place, on the prospect of an invasion. With great respect, I am, Sir,

           Your obedient servant,                       

O.H. PERRY.

Maj. Gen. David MEAD,     Pennsylvania Militia, Erie

The 38 year old Abraham Brinker served as a Captain, commanding a company under Col. John Purviance at Erie in the War of 1812.

Brinker's Company, War of 1812

“Captain Brinker ...was noted for his polite manners and accommodating disposition.”

Public Offices

Abraham Brinker was one of the most prominent citizens of his time; served as Justice of the Peace and as County Commissioner.

Abraham Brinker, County Commissioner 1817 for the Newly Incorporated town of Butler, PA

“THE TOWN INCORPORATED
Almost a decade and a half elapsed before inhabitants began to think of taking a step forward by aspiring to a corporate government….Butler was incorporated as a borough by an act entitled "An act to erect the town of Milton, in the county of Northumberland, and the town of Butler, in the county of Butler, into boroughs,"… passed February 26 [1817] of the same month.

The charter was issued May 2, 1817, by Governor Snyder….

Thus was the borough brought into corporate existence…. The first vote recorded by the borough of Butler for State and county officers was that of October14, 1817.

LISTS OFFICES, CANDIDATES AND RESULTS, including:

Francis Fryer twelve, Abraham BRINKER fourteen, David Dougal eight, and Moses Hanlen three, for county commissioners;”

 Abraham Brinker had already served once before as County Commissioner in 1806.

Abraham Brinker, Butler County Commissioner, twice (1806, 1818)

Abraham Brinker, Justice of the Peace

As a Justice of the Peace, Abraham settled differences, per this example:

Amicable action and on hearing the parties Judgment in favor of Plff's for seventeen dollars and eighteen cents--
   Credit as per Clark MCPHERRINS Recd for $6--Feb 12--1830.
   Feb 12th 1830 Sci Fa issued to James GLENN, 28th Aug 1830 to appear 3d Sept 1830--Then continued to the 27th inst--Def't met as summoned. James MCCURDY sworn on part of Plff, and after hearing the proofs I continued this case to the 11th day of Dec next under my own Judgment.
   Dec 11th 1830 Judgt in favor of Deft James MARTIN for forty-two cents.
   Dec 3d 1830 the Pl'ff appeals to the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County.
   I certify the foregoing to be a true transcript of a Judgment rendered by me from which the plaintiffs have appealed.
   Witness my hand and seal this 29th Dec 1830.
                                             ABM BRINKER [Seal].
It is deemed of sufficient interest to let it be seen how important (?) much of the litigation is upon which professional men are required to spend the knowledge they have acquired at a cost of time, money and mental exertion. Here was a case originating in a small indebtedness of $11. The defendant alleged he had paid it in the lifetime of the original creditor. The executors refused to believe this, and had a Sci Fa issued to revive this judgment. After a lengthy deliberation, the Squire gives judgment for defendant for 42 cents. From this the plaintiffs appeal; it is finally referred to arbitrators, and they, after giving it their best attention, render an award for defendant for 77 cents.

One history wrote of him:

"He was public-­spirited and generous, encouraged and supported schools and his influence was exerted for the good of the community and individual people.

He had sound judgment. Very often when any dispute arose among his neighbors they would say, "Let us leave the matter to Squire Brinker."

Many problems were settled quietly and to the satisfaction of all interested parties without the law in this manner.

There being no public houses near, his house and Squire McCurdy's, often gave entertainment to travelers on the pike.

Squire McCurdy was a religious man and his home was often visited by ministers, who came to preach at the schoolhouse.

As his house stood on one side of the creek and Mr. Brinker's on the other, it became a common saying among the settlers that Bonny Brook had the law on one side and the Gospel on the other."

Death and Burial:
Abraham predeceased his wife, dying at his home in Summit Township in 1850 and was buried in Bonny Brook cemetery.

Abraham Brinker's headstone

Abraham Brinker Bonny Brook Cemetery

His widow Louisa lived some years after him, and died in Butler at one of her daughter's homes.

Children of Abraham and Louisa Moser:
Note:~Alternative names and variant spellings are designated by / mark
~Jacob was also called John

~ Female married names are in brackets [ ]
Speculative :A) Abraham Jr’s birthdate
B) Maria is speculative (could be an iteration of Mary)
Note:
Henry appears in most histories without a birthdate.

All children were born in Summit Twp, Butler Co., PA

1. Jacob (AKA "John") (Col.) 1796-1853  

2. Abraham T  (a junior)
3. Catherine /Catharine Brinker [McCandless] B 1797-?
3. Mary / Polly  Magdalena   [Henry]  1799–1842
4. Susannah /Susan Brinker [Henry]  1800 -1895
5. ? uncertain Maria (possibly Mary) 1801 –
6. Elizabeth / Eliza / Elisa [Prosser] 1808 -1887
6.  Louisa  [McLaughlin, McGlaughlin]  21 JUN 1810– 1855
7. Sarah  [Zeigler] 1812– 1881
8. Margaret  1817 – 1822
9. Henry  1818 or 1819 -?
10. Amy M.  [Ritchie]  1820– 1857

A Free-bie

The 1895 History of Butler includes a biographical sketch with a mention of my great-grandmother (Flora G Bancroft), and a bio sketch of her father (Prof PS Bancroft, Post #4 ), and her mother Bella Brinker, her grandfather (Col. Jacob Brinker) and her great-grandfather (Abraham Brinker, Bella Brinkers' grandfather).

Bella Brinker [Bancroft], granddaughter of Abraham Brinker

Sources:
Ancestry.com
History of Butler County Pennsylvania - 1883
History of Butler Co. Published by R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895
Catherine Fox Snyder in Butler Freeport Community Trail Newsletter, Saxonburg PA 16056           Taped memoirs of Charles Bancroft Tilton

Post-script:
Abraham's Wife's name: Louisa or Eliza Moser?

The Mosers were one of the first settlers of the area. I believe the confusion with Lousia/Eliza Brinkers stemmed from the 1883 History, and was correct in the 1895 History. However, that there were so many Brinkers, and that Louisa Brinker and Abraham had a daughter Eliza, and a daughter Louisa does add to the confusion. 
I am 99.9% certain Abraham's wife was Lousia Moser, not Eliza.

#33- Jacob Brinker & Susannah Hinkel from Switzerland to Western Pennsylvania

Jacob Brinker was born in 1727 in Switzerland and arrived in Philadelphia in 1735 with his parents at the age of 8.  I was working on a perplexing problem: why did they come? Why did these German-speakers take passage to Philadelphia.
Many researchers have assumed they were Mennonite or Moravian (as I did).
Once I looked at their life in the New World, I realized they either strayed far from that immediately or they weren't either of them.
There were so many religious groups finding freedom from religious persecution in Europe and many gravitated to Pennsylvania. It can be difficult to distinguish one group from another, but at that time, it would have been a good deal easier.
It Can Be Important to Get your Ancestor's Religious Affiliation Right
A family researcher wrote that a common ancestor of mine must have been a Mennonites and not a Quaker. But his "proof" was singular and it was inaccurate: he said, their religious affiliation had preachers in the 1700s, and "Quakers didn't have preachers." That's not true, the Quakers did have preachers prior to the Orthodox/Hicksite split in the early 1800s.
Confused?
There is a good reason why we get Mennonites, Amish, Shakers and Quakers confused.
In the early part of their history (not so much now), they all had two areas of PRACTICE (that which everyone saw, not theology) which overlapped: 1) pacifists 2) simplicity.

Areas which used to overlap

However, in theology, in religious belief, these groups were very different.
There were those "Anabaptists" (a broad term) which included some Protestant groups, many of which came from Continental Europe. Some examples of Anabaptists are Moravians, United Brethren, Hutterites, etc.
Amongst the Anabaptist groups which immigrated to Pennsylvania two were Mennonite and Amish. How are those two related? See chart:

How the Mennonite & Amish were related

Two unique religious groups originated in England and not the Continent. They immigrated to New England, New York, PA and New Jersey (largely), and were related in similar way. These were not Anabaptists. They are the Society of Friends (called Quakers) and the Shakers.
How are those two related? See chart:

How the Quakers & Shakers were related.

But, how different is a Quaker from a Shaker?  Quite!
This chart shows the practices unique to Shakers, which the Quakers (Friends) have never shared.

Unique to the Shakers

To sum it all up, I made a handy-dandy "rough" guide. Though it's not comprehensive, the spaces with green indicates areas of differences, while the yellow spaces show general areas of similarities.
The Shakers & Amish are at the bottom, as they were derived from the group above it.

How did Andreas Brinker (Post #39) and his family fit in? As I searched I found no Lutheran or Moravian Church records, for him nor his son, Jacob Brinker (till much later). 
As a German-speaking Swiss, I figured Andreas was  a Moravian or possibly Mennonite. (Already knowing he was not Quaker). But I found nothing till I stumbled on the "Middle Way" or Schwenkfelder Protestants who had been forced out of their areas and finally from the protection of Zinzendorf (who had also helped Mennonites).
The Mennonites were quite helpful to the getting ocean passage for the Schwenkfelders  which may be why researchers thought Brinkers were Mennonites. And then I found Andreas Brinker on the Brigantine Mary with other fleeing Schwenkfelders. Had Andreas (and Jacob's) life in the colony been with Mennonites or taken a different route, I might not be so convinced he likely was a Schwenkfelder.

Ship List with Schwenkfelders 1735 & Andreas Brinker

What lead me away from the Mennonite theory and closer to the Schwenkfelder camp? To begin with, Schewenkfelders weren't required to be pacifists (a matter of conscience).
And, I noted that Jacob Brinker, who was 8 when he arrived, was on the Rev list as a patriot, and subsequent sons and grandsons all participated in a war.

Then for a time I was learning towards Jacob being a Moravian, since he lived not far from Bethlehem/Nazareth, communal home of Moravians. But Jacob Brinker moved too often and lived outside of the Moravian community. 

Also, once in Pennsylvania, Schwenkfelders are found marrying German-speaking Lutherans or other "Reformed" groups, and subsequently, participating in those churches.
Jacob's wife Susannah Hinkle (Henkel) may have been German. I know nothing about her parents. But, I do know that late in life Jacob and Susanah Brinker were attending a Lutheran/Reformed church.
 
Life of Jacob Brinker, Son of Andreas
Jacob was 8 when he and his family arrived in Philadelphia (from Switzerland, via Rotterdam) in 1735.
He married his wife, Susannah Hinkle (or Henkel/Henckel), possibly a German woman in 1755 in Lower Saucon Township. For a time he lived on a portion of his father’s farm in Lower Saucon Township.
But by 1759, Jacob and Susannah had moved away from Lower Saucon Twp in Northampton County to Upper Saucon Township  (which is now Lehigh County).

His father's will, dated Mar. 12, 1764, shows Jacob was in debt to Andreas for 10 pounds, which was forgiven at the time of his death (was this the balance on a ten year loan?).
 
A Jacob Brinker obtained a land warrant on November 20, 1766 for 150 acres in the northern part of Northampton County, now Hamilton Township, in Monroe County.

But then Jacob appears in a colonial assessment of 1772 in which he is assessed as a “miller” in Hamilton Twp.
Is this Really Jacob “Brinkers Mill?”

Brinkers Mill in Sciota, PA

A mill which Jacob Brinker was supposed to have owned was in Sciota, Hamillton Township, Northampton County (which is the current Monroe County). 
A write-up says: 
“Off of  Business Route 209 in Hamilton Township (Monroe County) is a mill centuries old.” 
Documents claim:
“Built by Jacob Brinker in 1730, this old mill was originally a log structure. By 1800, the mill had been replaced by the stone structure which stands today.”
Most researchers believe “my” Jacob Brinker was the original owner of this “Brinkers Mill” in Sciota, PA.
The timeline doesn’t work out for me, so I’m open to the idea that Jacob purchased the mill with the land, then it subsequently became known as Brinkers Mill, or else it was a different Jacob Brinker.
What's wrong with the timeline for my Jacob Brinker? A few things--not making it impossible or improbable but giving me a few questions:
~The historical records from Monroe County say that "Brinkers Mill" was built 1730.
~However, this Jacob Brinker arrived in Pennsylvania only 5 years after it was built (in 1735), and he was 8 years old.
~The records indicate this "Brinkers Mill" was sold as part of an estate in 1796 and
~my Jacob Brinker moved to Westmoreland County-which is nearly across the state-at some point. He died two years after 1796, in 1798.
I’ve concluded either this is the wrong Jacob Brinker, or he was a very ambitious fellow. Still, it's quite possible this was his mill.
The “Brinkers Mill” in this photo was bought by a John George Keller in 1796, then in 1800 sold to a Mr. Fenner who added the stone.
What I believe is to be certain: "my" Jacob and Susannah Brinker lived in Lower Saucon, and then of Hamilton Twp (Northampton/Monroe County) before they moved on.
Jacob and Susannah Brinker ended their days in Westmoreland County, out in the frontier area of Pennsylvania, and where their children (Abraham Brinker) and their descendants explored and settled.
Revolutionary War Life in Hamilton Township (Now Monroe County)
As mentioned, Jacob was not a pacifist. During the War for Independence, the patriots were asked to man the local militia and supply the traveling "army" (such as Washington`s) with extra food, wagons, animals, and arms as they could. 
Legend has it that Jacob Brinker supplied flour for the part of Washington's army, for which he was never paid.
Jacob served as private in Capt. Henry Servitz's company, Northampton County, Pennsylvania militia:
"Jacob Brinker, Rev War: 5th Co; 6th Batt. Northamption, Rank: Pvt. 2nd Class." 
Moving to Denmark Manor (Export, PA)
Jacob moved his family to the “frontier “to Franklin/Penn Township in Westmoreland County, east of Pittsburgh. (Quite dangerous if you read accounts of Indian raids).
He had land in the Manor of Denmark, Lot 16 and part of Lot 17 (p. 42-45 of the History of Penn Township by John W. Mochnick).
[This land was later willed to his third son Jacob.]
Jacob and Susannah were living on Lot 16 in 1798, when his will was written.

Sciota, PA to Denmark Manor, PA (nearly 300 miles)

Housing in Demark Manor
In 1798, all citizens of the new United States were taxed on the value of their house (usually a log cabin) barn and land, he number of windows and panes or "lights" in the house being counted--thus this is often referred to as the window tax.

This appears in the tax list in Franklin Township:
#65, "B"list, house under $100--Franklin township=
Jacob Brinker, house 20 x 50 ft. land of 336 acres, value $2,352.
Closest neighbor=Widow Butler`s land others on the list named Jacob Brinker as their neighbor;
# 66 Jacob Barlin/Berlin (2nd husband of his daugher Susannah Brinker);
# 64 Hugh Gray; Andrew Nicholson
Denmark Manor's Origin & Jacob's Role
Denmark Manor was founded on property that originally had been set aside to attract wealthy Danes to this part of Pennsylvania. But instead, German farmers ventured to western PA to make a livelihood.
Jacob Brinker and Conrad Knappenberger originally donated the land which eventually became Denmark Manor United Church of Christ.  The church, founded by German immigrants, started as a simple gathering in homes to read the Heidelberg Catechism and to pray.  Communion would not be celebrated until John William Weber (the first ordained minister in Western PA) crossed the Allegheny Mountains in the late 1700s century.
Denmark Manor Church proper was finally officially founded on June 4, 1811.  Denmark Manor, like all of the churches that served the Lutheran and Reformed congregations in early Western Pennsylvania, was a Union Church, which meant it was built in partnership by both congregations.
Lutheran and Reformed pastors preached to the same congregations in the same church, but on alternate Sundays. Each pastor was required to baptize children of both faiths.
Jacob Brinker's Will
Jacob Brinker's will is found in Franklin Township, dated October 30, 1798, and proved November 16, 1798.
It lists his wife Susannah.
His children:
Henry, George, Jacob and Abraham;
Daughters, Katrin wife of John Seley, and Susannah wife of Jacob Barleen;
Daughter Margaret's son John Larner;  grandchildren: Jacob, Margaret and Elizabeth Shaver;
Wife, son Jacob and son-in-law Jacob Barleen executors:
Witnesses Andrew Nicholson, Jacob Barlin and Hugh Torrance.
Jacob Brinker is buried near Denmark Manor, Export, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
 * * *

More on the Schwenkfelder Church
Schwenkfelder Church from Wikipedia:[Abbreviated by me, bolded additions by me]
"The Schwenkfelder Church is a small American Christian body rooted in the 16th century Protestant Reformation teachings of Caspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig (1489–1561). Though followers have held the teachings of Schwenkfeld since the 16th century, the Schwenkfelder Church did not come into existence until the 20th century, due in large part to Schwenkfeld's emphasis on inner spirituality over outward form. He also labored for a fellowship of all believers and one church.
By the middle of the 16th century, there were thousands of followers of his "Reformation by the Middle Way". His ideas appear to be a middle ground between the ways of the Reformation of Martin Luther, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, and the Radical Reformation of the Anabaptists.
Originally calling themselves Confessors of the Glory of Christ, Schwenkfeld's followers later became known as Schwenkfelders.
They often suffered persecution like slavery, prison and fines at the hands of the government and state churches in Europe. Most of them lived in southern Germany and Lower Silesia.  As the persecution intensified around 1719–1725, they were given refuge in 1726 by Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf in Saxony. When the in 1733, Catholic Church  sought the new ruler to return the Schwenkfelders to to their former home (where they had been persecuted).
With their freedom in jeopardy, they looked to the New World (some in 1742 to Silesia).
A group came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1731, and several migrations continued until 1737. The largest group, 180 Schwenkfelders, arrived in 1734.
Unlike Mennonites and Amish, adult baptism and both infant baptism and consecration of infants is practiced depending on the church. Adult members are also received into church membership through transfer of memberships from other churches and denominations. Their ecclesiastical tradition is congregational with a strong ecumenical focus.
Unlike Mennonites, Quakers and Shakers, the Schwenkfelder churches recognize the right of the individual in decisions such as public service, armed combat, etc."

For me the big question has been settled: Jacob did not arrive in the colony as a Lutheran or Moravian, Quaker, or Mennonite, but likely a Schwenkfelder.

#32 - Henry Comly: Early Immigrant Quaker to Philadelphia

Who Are These Comlys Anyway?

My family has written plenty about the Tysons Quakers and the first two posts here were devoted to Charles J Tyson.
This post will answer two three questions: who are the Comlys,  how do they relate to the Tysons, and who was the first Comly ancestor in North America? Enter Old Broadbrim, Quaker Detective (I just need a sidekick).

The Comlys were English Friends [Quakers] before arriving in the colonies, and were some of the earliest English Quaker settlers of Philadelphia.
My ancestor, my 8th great grandfather, Henry Comly arrived in Philadelphia with his wife and son-also Henry-in November of 1683, only a few weeks after the first Tyson from Germany arrived in October (though the date is debatable).
While the Tyson family resided in Germantown, Henry Comly had large tract of land in Byberry, Philadelphia. As you will read later, he had 500 acres but sold part of it soon after arriving.
"Henry Comly purchased a tract of 500 acres in the west corner of Warminster township, a portion of it still remains in the family.
We have no evidence that he ever lived there, but his son Robert did, and had a large family. Robert Comly's son Robert, married and had a large family.
All that bear the name of Comly in and around Horsham are his descendants."
Source: Friends' intelligencer, 1884

In my direct line, a Comly married a Tyson in my family in the late 1700s when Sarah Comly married a John Tyson.

Fan Chart of the Comly Line
Have you seen those fan charts?
Here is part of one filled out several years ago by a relative.
I’m only using (here) portions of it which are relevant to the Comlys. To make it easier to follow, I placed a red box over the Comly line.
You can see that the fan chart has been corrected and is often difficult to read.
The first piece here would begin with my great grandfather’s father:

The second piece contains some overlap and goes back a couple generations.

The third piece:.

The fourth and final piece is really difficult to make out:. 

Difficult to read? You bet! Comprehensive, yes.
An Easy-to-read Comly Lineage
For the purposes of this post only, I made my own simple chart showing the Comly family and how they are connected to my maternal grandmother (whose maiden name was Tyson). I also color-coded it:
yellow = Comly and green= Tyson To keep it compact I have only a couple Tysons.

Who was Henry Comly?
Vitals: Henry was born not far from Bristol in Somersetshire, England.

Copy of his birth record in a book

I've not yet got a certain birth date for him (if it is 1615, he was old when he took passage). Henry Comly (Sr) died in 1684, a year after he arrived in Pennsylvania.
Many of the records I've found for Henry Comly confuse the father with the son (perhaps they don't realize there was a father of the same name).

Occupation:
Henry was a weaver in the town of Bedminster, Somersetshire, near Bristol, England.
Marriage: "Henry of Bedminster to Joan Tylor of Bristol." It was quite possibly Henry's second marriage.

Across the pond:
Henry was a Friend [Quaker] prior to crossing the Atlantic with his family. At some point early on, he bought a tract of land from William Penn.
I note this as there were many early Quakers who were converts in the colonies. At that time Quakers had preachers who traveled around the country (and the world).
In Pennsylvania, and in parts of the Northeast, many dissenters (nonconformists) converted to Quakerism.

Henry Comly settled on a tract of of land (about 300 acres) in Warminster Township, Buck Co. PA., about seven miles south of the present town of Doylestown.
This was part of a grant of a total of 500 acres purchased of William Penn before Henry left England.

Reed's map of Philadelphia, and the "Liberties" (printed with a quarto pamphlet in 1774) both mention "Henry Comly, of the city of Bristol, weaver," in the list of original purchaser of land of William Penn, date of purchase being July 19, 1681.

Many of those who purchased in England land grants of William Penn came over with no definite idea where their tract of land would be.  Henry Comly was one of the latter [purchased before his arrival] as early records show.

Part of the land he owned was 200 acres in Philadelphia County,  which he sold soon after arriving.
I am guessing he wished to 1) consolidate his land and 2) he likely needed many goods and cash after having just moved to the new world.

In his will Henry left to his son, Henry [my 7th great grandfather] "two hundred acres of land bought by me of the Governour besides the House and Hundred which I now live in."
Here is an old photo from a book of Byberry Meeting House (which was not there when he lived there).

Byberry Meeting House, built long after Henry arrived. (From an old book)

Henry Comly’s Will:
Know all men by these presents that I, Henry Comeley, being weake of Bodey but of prefect memorey doe make This my last Will and Testament.
First I give and Bequeath unto my wife Joane Comly the Third part of all my Personall Estate both Goods and Chatels.
Item. I Bequeath unto my dauter Marey the Quantity of one haundred Acers of uncultivated land or the value thereof.
Item. I bequeath unto my sone Henery ye Remaining two thirds of my Goods and Chatels and perticulerly one fither bed and Appurtinances thereunto belonging, together with Two hundred Acres of Land bought by me of the Governer besides the house and house and hundred Acers which I now live in. Lastly I nominate and appoint my friends Edmond Benet, David Davis and William Paxstone to be my sole Executors, to supervise this my last will and to overse my sd Son unto whose care I Commit him and the most fit time for him to reseve his sd portion (with the advice of friends of the Monthly Meeting) but if my Son dye before he be of Discresion to reseve his portion that it dissend to my sd dauter Marey exepting the house and lands I now live in to my wife during the terme of her naturall life.
In Wittness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and Seale this the 26 day of 2d Mo. 1684.
Sealed and Delivered in ye Presence
of Henry Comly his mark

James X Paxstone George X Sheave his mark